By providing a wireless communication between a main control unit of an article picking apparatus, a main control device for supply devices and a route setting device and attaching a data carrier having a writable/erasable memory to a mobile article picking container, information concerning kind, number, etc. of articles to be supplied to the picking container is transmitted from the main control device to the data carrier to be stored therein. During transportation of the picking container, the data carrier transmits stored picking information in response to a calling signal from the route setting device, while the route setting device sets a transport route for the picking container based on the received picking information. The data carrier transmits the stored picking information to the control device in response to the calling signal from the main control unit and the control device for the article supply controls the supply device based on the picking information and the supply device supplies articles to the picking container. A result information including the kind and number of articles actually supplied to the article picking container, the difference between instructed amount and actual supply value, etc. is transmitted to the data carrier, and stored therein to be utilized in the subsequent article collecting step. In this way, the information processing during the picking process can be dispersed and simplified, by which the duty on the main control device is remarkably moderated as compared with that in the prior art, the transportation route selection is facilitated, the time for picking is shortened, and the efficiency for utilizing the apparatus is improved.